Automobile-lamp.



0. M. )TTE.

AUTOMOBILE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. I912.

Patmltvd Apr. 22, 1919.

3 SHEETS--SHEET1.

O. M. OTTE.

AUTOMOBILE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-26.1917.

Patented A pr. 22, 1919.

' 3 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

- AUTOMOBILE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 1917.

1 31 lgg Patented Apr. 2:, .J. 50 3 SHEETS-SHE Q/Qmum p 7 I OTHO M. OTTE, 015 J AMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed February 26,1917. Serial No. 150,887.

To all whom/it may concern! Be it known thatI, OTHo M. Om, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the clty of Jamestown, in thecounty of Chautauqua and State o f New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Lamps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to lamps for vehicles and similar purposes wherein it is desired to throw the light a long distance; and .the object of the improvement is to provide a light within a reflector at the end of a cylinder and novel means by which the light is controlled, the controlling means consisting of a lens within said reflector and pyramidal concentric tubes or barrels in said cylinder and reflector, the light being supported from the center of the smaller portion of said compound reflector and in spaced relation thereto and to said lens and tubes; and the invention consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical diametral sectional view of the lamp from front to rear showing the construction and arrangement of the same and showing in dotted line the lines of the reflected light rays. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the lamp showing the concentric tubes or bar'- rels supported upon radial cross wires. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the lamp at line X-X in Fig. 1 showing the lens in front of the light and the adjustable supporting wires for the same. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the dish-shaped lesser portion of the compound reflector. Fig. 5 is a perspective.

view of thecap for the rear opening in the outer shell over the lesser reflector portion showing the screw threaded flange for attachment in the shell of the reflector. Fig.

'6 is a sectional view at line Y- Y showing open the full diameter of the shell for the receptlon of the glass 11 which is held in place by means of the sheet metal rim 12 wlth the rubber gasket 13 beneath the same agalnst the spacing ring 14 within the mouth of the shell 10. The glass 11 is used merely to shut out dust, mud or dirt of any kind. I

The ring 14 spaces the outer shell 10 from the inner reflector shell 15 'which is madein the parabolic shape from the end 10 of the cyllndrical portion 15 substantially the same as the outer shell 10, and sufliciently smaller. to permit being supported within the outer shell 10, being held in place by means of the spacing ring 14 near the front end and spacing ring 16 near the rear end.

The inner reflector 15 is a continuation of the cylindrical portion and is parabolicor semi-ellipsoidal shaped and has a round opening in the rear end into which is fitted the spherical reflector 17, the outer edge 18 of the reflector 17 being sprung or turned mto a curved circularflange 19 to hold the reflector 17 firmly in position upon and so related to the parabolic reflector 15 as to its interior reflecting surface that the greatestradii of the smaller reflector 17 is less than the smallest radii of the greater reflector 15, the major and minor reflectors being shaped to receive each other in continuous refracting surfaces. The reflector 17 forms a part of an ellipse, one focus of which is at 27 and the other in the source of light.

An electric light 20 is mounted in a suitable holder through the center of the small reflector 17 and has the connecting wires 21 and 22 leading therefrom to the source of electrical power. The light 20 is placed on the reflector 17 so that the center or main point of the light is at such a point as will best be reflected by the two reflectors in their relation to one another and to the other controlling elements.

A lens 23 is supported a spaced distance in front of the light 20 preferably by a ring 24 and wires 25 which extend through the reflector shell 15 and are adjustably.

held in place by means of screw nuts 2Q on the outer ends of the wires 25, a sufficient number of wires 25 being provided to hold the ring 24 and lens 23 firmly in the centered positionl The light collecting field of the lens 23 approximately equals the diameter of the light collecting field of the smaller reflector 17 so that the reflected light from the reflector 17 will be brought to focus at light 27 at a spaced distance between the true source of light 20 and the lens 23. The reflected light will thus pass through the lens 23 in the same general direction as the direct rays of light, being complementary to and in addition to the direct rays passing through the lens and thereby bringing all the rays of this portion of the light into line parallel with the shaft of reflected light.

The rays of light are further confined and directed in a straight shaft and defects in periphery of the cylindrical portion of the parabolic reflector 15 thereby forming a pyramid or cone of concentric tubes. The

pyramidal structure of the tubes 29 allows free space for the use of the parabolic reflector portion from the end of the cylindrical portion to the reflector 17 to reflect the light through the tubes 29.

The concentric tubes 29 in addition to assisting in the control of the rays of light are non-reflecting and protect the vision of approaching drivers and passers-by, and for this reason a larger number of the tubes 29 are used than would otherwise be necessary so that any slight deviation from the direct path of the shaft of light will give this much needed protection.

The tubes 29 are supported in their concentric spaced relations by means of light cross wires 30 and 31 which extend from the central tube 29 to the cylinder and reflector 15. The light wires 30 and 31 are preferably made of tough strong metal and are attached to the reflector 15 by passing through the same and being turned to one side with a small portion of solder thereon which holds the end firmly in position. The wires 30 and 31 are preferably inserted through the concentric tubes 29 with alternate deflection, as shown in Fig. 6. A pair of wires 30 or 31 are deflected in opposite directions through the deflected openings in the tubes 29 so that they draw against one another, thereby holding firmly upon the tubes 29 and keeping them in position as desired with a certain amount of tension on the wires 30 and 31 so that there is no danger of the tubes rattling or being displaced.

facture.

The wires 30 and 31 may be inserted in radial line, as shown in Fig. 2, without departing from my invention. In such case, however, each of the points of passage through the tubes 29 should receive a small drop of solder to prevent any looseness or rattling of said tube. The alternate deflection of the wires 30 and 31 overcomes all of this work and holds the tube more firmly in position andat much less cost of manu- More wires 30 and 31 may be used when it is necessary to support tubes 29 of greater length than those shown in Fig. 1.

The small opening in the rear end of the casing 10 through which the lesser reflector 17 is inserted is closed by means of a cap 33 which is screwed into the sheet metal thread 36 by means of the projecting handle 34, a gasket 35 being placed beneath the overlapping edge of the cap 33 in the screw joint to prevent any rattling in said joint.

It is apparent that the cap 33 can be easily removedv by unscrewing the same thereby opening the approach to the light 20 and reflector 17 for the adjustment or renewal of the same.

The field of the shaft of light is indicated by the double pointed arrow 32 and the dotted lines leading to the same, which dotted lines include all the rays of light from the light 20. All the direct rays from the light fall upon the lens and reflectors and no direct rays of light pass beyond the confines of the walls of the'lamp so that all the light is projected in one general direction. 7

The direction of the rays of light within the domed or parabolic shaped compound reflector is indicated in Fig. 1 by dotted lines. which show the focus 27 for the rays reflected on the smaller reflector 17 and the definite areas of reflection through each cyl-.

reflector so that the angles of reflection are equal. in order to reflect the rays of light parallel through the cylinders.

Accordingly, the concentric cylinders used in the control of the light are likewise diminished as to length thus affording the necessary space which should be allowed for the parabolic reflector 15, in combination with said cylinders so as to equalize the volume of light in both the central and outer' cylinders.

duce candle power. Accordingly bylimitmg as greatly as possible the diflused light, a light of much less'can'dle power may be used for giving the same amount of 11 ht,

for not only all direct rays arecontro led but all light energy expended 'indifiusion has been added to the controlled rays, there by increasing the eiiiciency and brilliancy of the light.

. It is obvious that the rays of light pass-- ing through the cylinders parallel with the sides of the same and at no point coming in contact with said cylinder-s control the light from the lamp so that the sides of the cylinders are not used for reflecting purposes but are used solely for control and guidance in such form that they also provide a shield or curtain preventing the lamp and reflector being seen except when the sight allows the parallel rays to be received by the eye.

There is complete circulation in the lamp construction. The heat rises from the lamp 20 and goes forward against the glass 11 which cools it. The tubes 29 are spaced from the, inner face of the glass 11 a short distance, as shown at 37, thereby permitting the cooled air to drop to the lower side as soon as cooled by the glass 11, for it is apparent that as the lamp is forced through the air the glass 11 is cooled and will almost instantaneously cool the heated air as it rises from the lamp 20. As the'air drops to the lower portion of the lamp through the space 37 it passes back and up past the lamp 20 again, thereby causing a continuous circulation of air in the shell 15 as soon as the lamp 20 is lighted.

I claim as new 1. In combination with a reflector having a closed rear end and a continuous reflecting surface, a source of li ht in front of said closed rear end, a cellu ar structure in" the reflector, said structure being of pyramidal formation with its apex adjacent the source of light, and a lens arranged between the source of 1i ht and apex of the structure and alined with each.

2; A reflector comprising a cylindrical barrel having, a dome-shaped end with a reflecting inner surface, a light within said dome-shaped end, a lens, and a plurality of tubes filling said cylindrical barrel to aid in controlling the reflected rays of light, said tubes being arranged so as to be shielded from all direct rays of light.

3. A reflector comprising a cylindrlcal portion, a compound reflector portion attached to said cylindrical portion, a plural ity of cylindrical barrels supported within said cylindrical portion, the shortest of said barrels the length of said cylindrical portion and the central barrel of greater length extending nearer the light, the remainlng barrels being graduated as to length to form a pyramidal structure, and a lens to the rear of the longest barrel.

4. A reflector comprising a cylindrical barrel portion and a compound reflector portion, a plurality of concentric barrels in said I cylindrical barrel portion,- said concentric barrel-s supported in spaced relation by a pluralit of radial wires, said radial wires opposite y deflected in alternate concentric barrels to draw upon one another and hold said concentric barrels firmly in sition.

5. The combination of a para lic reflector and source of light therewithin with a cellular structure of pyramidal shape with the apex nearest said source of light and a common axis between said pyramidal structure and source of light, the walls of the cells being parallel each to the other and to the common axis and a lens to the rear of said structure.

6. The combination with a reflector parabolic impart, a lens supported in said reflector, a source of light spaced between said lens and the closed end of said reflector, a plurality of. concentric barrels with the longest barrel nearest said lens and the shortest barrel at the outer rim of said refiector, said concentric barrels having parallel sides and equidistant spacing and graduated as to length'betweensaid shortest barrel and said longest barrel to form a py- OTHO M. OTTE. Witnesses:

' H. A. SANDBERG,

l. E. Nonnsrnom. 

